History PlayingWith / HoistByHisOwnPetard

** The weapon had an inherent flaw that the villain could not fix.

* '''Downplayed''': A gambit intended to give the villain some advantage as part of a larger plan backfires, dealing the villain a temporary setback.

* '''Exploited''': Bob designs a weapon, but before using it, he realizes that it will backfire, so he tricks his enemy into using it instead.

* '''Implied''': There is talk in the background about a new handheld explosive being detonated during one scene with the villain. A while later, the villain has a robotic replacement arm.

'''Basic Trope''': A character (usually a villain) who is defeated and possibly killed as a result of his or her own plan, weapon, etc.

* '''Zig Zagged''': A couple of the villain's ZanyScheme[=s=] backfire non-fatally, and others are just CrazyEnoughToWork. Ultimately, the villain does die, though not necessarily by means of his own making.

* '''Enforced''': "We've got to have the villain beaten somehow! Let's just make his machinery backfire."

* '''Deconstructed''': The villain's weaponry comes complete with inherent flaws and is highly unstable, meaning that it could kill ''anyone'' at any time; it's a turkey shoot whether it'll even work properly. The villain is aware of this, but the villain is willing to take that chance.

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'''Basic Trope''': A character (usually a villain) who is defeated and possibly killed as a result of their own plan, weapon, etc.

** The villain really WAS that dumb and [[TooDumbtoLive it was only a matter of time.]]

** The villain sends the hero on a wild-goose chase. This saves the hero's life when he's not there when the villain's base blows up.

* '''Doubly Subverted''': The hero is also NotQuiteDead and manages to use the villain's weapon to kill the villain, for good this time.

* '''Zig Zagged''': A couple of the villain's ZanyScheme[=s=] backfire non-fatally, and some others are just CrazyEnoughToWork. Ultimately, the villain does die, though not necessarily by means of his own making.

* '''Exploited''': A character designs a weapon and before using it, realizes that it will backfire and then tricks their enemy into using it instead.

* '''Discussed''': "How come these villains always make their machines so shoddy? You'd think they'd learn from all the bad guys who've blown up using their own devices before them."

* '''Reconstructed''': Unfortunately for him, the villain is just highly incompetent at using it.
* '''Plotted a Good Waste''': The series has been building up around fate and how [[YouCantFightFate things are already decided.]] The BigBad, deciding to ScrewDestiny, spends a lot of resources building up a new weapon that would allow him to break the chain of events and kill the heroes early. He ends up so bad with it he loses his arm as prophesy says the fight would go.

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* '''Straight''': The villain produces a grenade and prepares to throw it at the hero. It turns out, though, that he threw the pin, and the grenade explodes and kills him instead.

* '''Parodied''': The villain's weapon kills him... [[WhatAnIdiot because he had his head stuck down the barrel trying to see why it wasn't working]].
* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

** The heroes provoke the villain into firing his weapon repeatedly, knowing that it'll eventually overheat and explode, killing him.

** "Minion, make sure that the engineers double, triple and quadruple check that device. I don't want it to blow up in my face when I'm using it."
** Alternatively: All dangerous machinery is operated by redshirts. All powerful weaponry is built so that it can only aim ''outside'' the fortress.

* '''Implied''': There is talk in the background about a new handheld explosive being devolved during one scene with the villain. A while later, the villain has a robotic replacement arm.

* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': The series has been building up around fate and how things are already decided. The BigBad, deciding to ScrewDestiny, spends a lot of resources building up a new weapon that would allow him to break the chain of events and kill the heroes early. He ends up so bad with it he loses his arm as prophesy says the fight would go.
* '''Played For Laughs''': The villain's attempts to kill the hero fail. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Every. Single. Time.]] Even when all the flaws are worked out.
* '''Played For Drama''': Betty, who suffers depression, decides to try a small practical joke involving a water balloon at the urging of Alice. When it ends up soaking Betty, she gets worse.

* '''Exploited''': ???

'''Basic Trope''': A character (usually a villain)) who is defeated and possibly killed as a result of their own plan, weapon, etc.

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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???

* '''Straight''': The villain produces a grenade and prepares to throw it at the hero, but it explodes and kills him instead.

'''Basic Trope''': A character (usually a villain)) who is defeated and possibly killed by their own plan, weapon, etc.

'''Basic Trope''': The villain is defeated and killed by his own weapon or plan.

** The villain doesn't die; he instead changes his ways or reappears in a sequel.

** The weapon had an inherit flaw that the villain could not fix.

* '''Averted''': The villain's death is not the result of his own weapon.

** Alternatively: See DrivenToSuicide.

* '''Deconstruction''': The villain's weaponry comes complete with inherent flaws and is highly unstable, meaning that it could kill ''anyone'' at any time; it's a turkey shoot whether it'll even work properly. The villain is aware of this, but the villain is willing to take that chance.
* '''Reconstruction''': Unfortunately for him, the villain is just highly incompetent at using it.

* '''Inverted''': The hero's weapon backfires, killing him. The villain is completely unharmed.

** The KnightTemplar villain takes a poison to avoid being captured and questioned. Unbeknownst to him, the air was carrying a poison gas, and they act as mutual {{Antidote}}s, leaving him still alive.

* '''Implied''': There is talk in the background about a new handheld explosive being devolved during one scene with the villein. A while later, the villein has a robotic replacement arm.

* '''Implied''': There is talk in the background about a new handheld explosive being devolved during one scene with the villein. A while later, the villein has a robotic replacement arm.

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%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%

%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

* '''Averted''': The villain eschews weaponry, preferring to kill his victims with his bare hands.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Deconstruction''': The villain's weaponry comes complete with inherent flaws and is highly unstable, meaning that it could kill ''anyone'' at any time; it's a turkey shoot whether it'll even work properly. The villain is aware of this, but the villain is willing to take that chance.
* '''Reconstruction''': Unfortunately for him, the villain is just highly incompetent at using it.
* '''Averted''': The villain eschews weaponry, preferring to kill his victims with his bare hands.

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* '''Defied''': "Minion, make sure that the engineers double, triple and quadruple check that device. I don't want it to blow up in my face when I'm using it."

* '''Justified''': The weapon has some kind of defect the villain didn't anticipate.

* '''Invoked''': The heroes provoke the villain into firing his weapon repeatedly, knowing that it'll eventually overheat and explode, killing him.